Football game apparatus



Jan. 1, 1952 J, M SPIEGEL 2,580,616

FOOTBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1949 Inventar Joseph M; Sp ege/ i. ,2Q By.

/0 Y Aitomeys Patented Jan. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOTBALL GAME APPARATUS JosephtM. Spiegel, Palo Alto, Calif. Application January 27, 1949, seriaiNo. 73,168

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in game apparatus and the primary object is to provide an indoor football game that is conveniently manipulated by children or adults to simulate the actual playing of the game, there being line plunges, end runs, kick-offs, penalties and out-of-bounds.

Another important object oi the present invention is to provide a football game including a rockable game board and a plurality of rollable game pieces placed on the board in a selected manner to represent two teams, one of said teams being an offensive team and the other of said teams being a defensive team, and `which game pieces are rolled or moved when the game board is topped to cause the game pieces to roll toward a selected direction;

A further object `of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus of the aforementioned character involving skill, strategy and sense of fair play and reducing the element of chance toa relatively minor` role.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, small and compact in structure, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same isvintended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of `construction and operation as lmore fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure lis a top plan view of the present invention and showing the game pieces arranged to simulate oiensive and defensive teams;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 2--2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an` enlarged, fragmentary, transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of one of the game pieces used in conjunction with the present invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective View of one of the game piecesusedin conjunction with the present invention and simulating a runner; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view of the game board in slightly modified form.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral Ill represents a` substantially rectangular game board to the upper face of` which there is secured a plurality of border strips or inbound markers I2 having convexed inner surface I4 as shown in Figure 3 or inclined pieces IB as shown in Figure 6. These strips I2 are arranged to denne a substantially rectangular area therebetween and for indicating an outc-bounds when a game piece contacts the same in a manner presently to be described.

The upper surface of the game board I0 is divided into a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse zones by a group of spaced parallel lines I3 that are suitably scribed on the board and the distance between adjacent linesI is interpreted as 10 yards. It is understood that the end lines 20 simulate the goal lines for the football field represented by the game board.

Suitable wire frames or posts 22 having cross bars 24 are secured to the game board and extend` upwardly from the goal lines 2D to representgoal posts.

The numeral 26 represents Vthe game pieces that are used in conjunction with the present invention, other than the runners presently to be described, and these game pieces are substantially circular plates or disks so that the same can roll upon the game board.

The game pieces simulating the runners` are designated by the numeral 28 and include annular plates or disks similar to the plates 26. The runners 28 are formed with central openings 30 and the centralportion of a cylindrical member or wire arm 32 is lfrictionally tted in the openings 30.

it is preferred that the game pieces26 also be provided with central openings, as at 34, to permit the game pieces 26 to be converted into runners by the addition of a member such as` 32 in the openings 34;

First, set up the game by placing the board on a stack of books, a small footstool, a wide coffee can 35, or any other similar household item. This base is in turn set on an available table 3B (see Figures 1 and 2). be as level as possible to prevent the menfromrolling out lof position as they are being set up.`

There are six men to each team, one of which has a wire inserted through its center and serves as the ball carrier or runner. The other ve men represent the linemen. In general, the usual regulations of collegiate football apply. Some additional rules also have been included tomake the gamev more playable. l

The board shouldv Kick-o-Only the defensive team lines up in this play. The men are placed strategically on their own 40 yard line or farther back as desired. The offensive player simulates the kick-off from the middle of his own 40 yard line by spinning the ball carrier by its wire and then dropping it from about a height of an inch onto the board. As a result of proper manipulation the ball carrier will roll either through or around thedefensive team. If the ball carrier stops any place within the bounds of the playing field, play is resumed at that point by the receiving team (moved 18 yards in from the side lines, of course) If it went out of bounds somewhere along the side lines, the play is begun there; again at the inbound markers. In the event it stops in the end zone or jumps the end rim, play begins on the 20 yard line.

scrimmage-The offensive team is lined up first by spotting a center man at the point play is to be resumed, and the other linemen are placed two on either side anywhere along the scrimmage line. Then the defensive team is lined up in a manner that is intended to intercept the expected path of the runner. No member of opposite teams must touch before play is begun. Last, the runner is placed directly behind the center man but not farther back than 5 yards. He may be headed in any direction desired. To carry out the play the offensive player grasps the board at its ends and tips the board in the direction that the runner is headed. As soon as the runner has begun to roll, the board may be tipped in any direction desired in an effort to roll the ball carrier across the goal line. It is considered poor sportsmanship to initially tip the board in any direction other than that in which the runner is pointed. If a third person is acting as referee, such action is subject to a yard penalty. The play from the scrimmage line ends when the runner:

1. Crosses the opponents goal line. y

2. Is brought to a stop by the interception of other players.

3. Tips over and stops.

4. Rolls outside the side-line rim.

5; Is downed behind its own goal line as a result of items 2, 3, or 4. (This results in a 2 point score--a safety-for the opponents and a kickoff is then made.)

The oiensive player has four downs in which to cross the opponents goal line. 1f this is not accomplished, the other team takes over the ball.

Kick from scrimmage.-This is performed by iirst lining up in the manner described above. Then the runner is spun as described in the section on kick-off and dropped onto the board not farther than 10 yards directly behind the center man. The runner may go through the line or skirt the ends. Resumption of play is determined by the same rules as stated in the paragraph under kick-off.

Point after touchdown- This is accomplished by lining up in the usual manner on the 2 yard line. Then the offensive team has the choice of making a running play over the goal or a kick through the goal posts in the above described manner. For the kick the runner must again be 10 yards behind the scrimmage line but mayV be started anywhere laterally within the inbound markers.

Penalties-A penalty of 15 yards shall be imposed on the offensive team when, as a result of play from scrimmage, any man from either team jumps the end rim. This can be considered to result from such acts as clipping, unnecessary roughness, etc. Actually, the purpose of the penalty is to place a restraint on the amount of slant that can be applied to the board. Of course, the defensive player can refuse the penalty if he so desires.

Special notes 1. A touchdown, try-for-point run, or safety are scored only when the point at which the runner contacts the board is on or inside the end zone line. The wire arm alone touching the en d zone does not constitute a score.

2. If a man should come to rest completely on top of the rim no penalty is ruled.

3. It is usually desirable to set a time limit for the length of the game so that there can be no disagreement as to when the contest is to end.

In View of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantagesA of the devicerwill be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A football game comprising an elongated board having lines thereon to simulate the yardage lines and boundry lines of a football eld, a support at center of the board and including a flat upper wall contacting the undersurface of the board, inverted U-shaped members secured to and rising from the ends of the board whereby the board may be manually rocked upon the support, two sets of game pieces, each of said sets of game pieces being composed of a plurality of disks that are placed on their edges at points on the board selected by players, one set of game pieces constituting a defensive team and the other set of game pieces constituting an offensive team, one game piece of the set of game pieces constituting the offensive team having a central opening and a pin mounted in the opening andY having end portions projecting outwardly from both faces of the said one game piece whereby a player may impart an initial and directional spin to the said one game piece for avoiding the game pieces of` the defensve team.

' JOSEPH M. SPIEGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany July 5, 1939 

